How to Improve the Quality Culture in a Company

[quality.shesha]

Hi,

Just wanted to know, what are the different methods you all had used OR are using to improve the Quality Culture in a organisation , mean to say to change the mindset of the people in a organisation towards implementation of process and Quality related stuff.

Thanks & Rgds, Shesha

[Stijloor]

Originally Posted by quality.shesha

Hi,

Just wanted to know, what are the different methods you all had used OR are using to improve the Quality Culture in a organisation , mean to say to change the mindset of the people in a organisation towards implementation of process and Quality related stuff.

Thanks & Rgds, Shesha

Shesha,

There are many great methods. If you search The Cove Forums, you'll find lots of them. However, none of these methods will work very well, unless Top Management takes the lead by showing their unwavering support and active involvement before, during and after implementation. But you knew this already, right?

Stijloor.

[quality.shesha]

Thanks Stijloor!

A few tags please???
You were right in telling that, I know without the top management support nothing is possible.
Our org has gone thru AS9100, CMMi and other audits and have achieved them, however due to tremendously increasing customer and their demands, it is becoming day by day difficult to handle them with the same mindset. Out of box thing is needed and a different approach as well.
So planning to drive some intiatives to change the mindset of people and drive-in a culture of Quality.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Originally Posted by quality.shesha

Thanks Stijloor!

A few tags please???
You were right in telling that, I know without the top management support nothing is possible.
Our org has gone thru AS9100, CMMi and other audits and have achieved them, however due to tremendously increasing customer and their demands, it is becoming day by day difficult to handle them with the same mindset. Out of box thing is needed and a different approach as well.
So planning to drive some intiatives to change the mindset of people and drive-in a culture of Quality.

Look at the bottom of this screen and you will see related threads you can look through right now.

[Bob Bonville]

shesha, Stigloor stated the key, it must be a tops down initiative. More over it must be "continuous and sincere" in order to truely attempt to change the overall culture.

I have personally been involved with company leaders and owners that clearly didn't get it! and wouldn't put forth the effort and commit to changing the culture. In those cases I chose not to support them because it was an effort in futility.

It's like the classic example of the difference between commitment and involvement. When looking at a plate of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

Bob

[Jennifer Kirley]

Originally Posted by Bob Bonville

It's like the classic example of the difference between commitment and involvement. When looking at a plate of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

Bob

That was the most succinct metaphor I have seen for this application - ever!

[DanteCaspian]

There are a number of good texts on this very thing. Many that I am familiar with revolve around the realm of lean, but weather your quality quest involves lean methodologies or not, I find the lean gurus, both Japanese and American have great insight on this.

Going back to the roots of Juran, Deming and Crosby, comprehending there style of communication can help.

The basic elements of physiology and human behavior are important to understand.

Charisma, ability to inspire/win hearts and mind, experience and creative thinking will take you the rest of the way. Oh and prayer... I resort to that mostly these days.

[Jennifer Kirley]

What you are describing is sometimes called a sea change, and can take a long time. It's a cultural shift that must take place starting at the very top. If top management doesn't "walk the talk," then the quality culture is actually more like craftsmanship - the individuals or teams taking pride in doing their work well.

Dr. W. Edwards Deming lived to an old age and turned rather bitter trying to get top management to understand that improving quality culture is a result of their own metamorphoses, and not a project.

Top management that "gets it" surrounds itself with spirited leaders - not managers - who also "get it." This group identifies a set of principles and proceeds to define, resource, execute, and evaluate the organization's activities to meet or exceed them. When that happens, it's much easier to establish a quality culture among the workers. Until it happens the workers, who generally have well-tuned senses for nonsense, will more likely do the minimum than do their best.

Leadership is critical. Without it, the culture will not change much, any.